Summer Will Never Be The Same
by drageionel543
Summary: The summer after PJO and TBOL.Read,review. PERCABETH.Percy returns to Camp hoping things will change,and some won't.Well,lets see if everything goes well as it is supposed to.
1. Chapter 1

**EVENTS SET AFTER PJO:TBOTL**

**I DO NOT OWN PJO.**

**PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW.**

**THANKS A TON.**

Saving the world.

Saving my friends.

Saving my family.

Saving the people I love.

Saving _her._

I, Perseus Jackson, saved Olympus. To me,of course I loved the extra attention and high-fives,shy glances from the Aphrodite Cabin,respectful glances from Clarisse even. Life was good,but I knew it could've been better. Or at least,it would be better,as so I hoped. Quests that risked getting my little ass killed were much easier than _her._ And when I mean _her_ I mean Annabeth Chase.

The daughter of Athena,my idol,my sidekick,my Robin if I was Batman,my guide,my ass-saver,my friend. My best friend. But called her whatever you wanted,she was everything except one. Girlfriend. That was the one I wished she was,but alas,love doesn't come easy when you spend half your wrecked teenage life fighting monsters, struggling how to earn the respect of Gods who could kill you with a snap of their finger and of course the everyday struggles of trying to read a textbook alone when you have a severe case of ADHD.

Yea,love was never present. But it did try, for example some times, when Annabeth kissed me on several rare occasions,i felt the spark,that tingly feeling that I thought only happened on TV sets and not in real life. I guess television does teach you somethings as well,but that's not my point.

Point is,i knew,that deep down,i was in love. In love with Annabeth Chase.

There,i admitted it myself. How brave was that. But that was admitting mentally, physically, I'm not so sure.

It was nearing summer again, of course I would be going back to Camp Half-Blood to meet everyone and catch up on old times,old quests,old memories that never seemed to fade no matter how old we got. Things like these stay with you forever I guess. On the way to camp in a magical taxi which I don't know how my mom hailed for me,i got to Camp in less than half-an hour in the cab. And it was free!

The moment the cab left,i found myself dropping my blue Nike duffel back on the floor, just staring into the entrance to Camp Half-Blood, glancing at campers,both new and old. The Stoll Brothers had grown quite tall and muscular, earning them some glances from the Aphrodite Cabin. There Grover was along with Juniper. I had to admit, I was quite envious at the guy, earning himself a girlfriend before I did. Maybe it was just me,being me. Being unattractive. Oh well, there Clarisse was,coming out of another cab. She shot me a glance with a respectful smile. Me and her had grown a friendship I guess,after fighting side by side for quite a while now. At least now Chris Rodriguez could 'tame the dragon'. And of course, there Chiron was, holding a pen and the attendance list on a Camp Half-Blood writing pad, marking new and old campers as they passed through the renovated iron gate entrance. He shot a wink at me, before going back to his business.

Soon I was embraced by hugs, from Grover,Juniper and of course more 'appropriate' ones with the Stoll Bros. Thalia wasn't around and I heard from Grover that the female hunters were on some 'business'. Thalia said she would be back to of course see me and Annabeth somewhere around the 3rd day of our stay. Good,that left me plenty of time to talk to her. Nico surprisingly was by the entrance, playing with his iPhone. I remembered he said he wouldn't stay on Camp Half-Blood and wanted to ask him,but I decided to leave that for later.

And of course,did you not think I didn't notice that Annabeth hadn't come? Looking around, I didn't recognize anyone that looked like her and even went to ask some of her siblings in the Athena Cabin. They said they hadn't seen her,and would inform her of my visit when she arrived.

Feeling a hint of rejection,i proceeded onwards to the lakeside cabin,my favorite 'crib' in the world. Sitting beside the lake, painted in navy blue, with a side entrance leading to the wooden jetty which held some boats and kayaks and the porch with the gold words made in bold that read ' Poseidon Cabin'.

I looked around for Tyson, and found a note on his bed that was addressed to me. It took me longer than usual to read it,and Tyson's ugly handwriting wasn't helping a bit.

" My Dearest Brother,

How have you been? Oh wait, you can't reply anyways. If you're wondering where I went this summer, I have been invited to Hephaestus's camp for weapon-making dudes like me. I will be back only on the 5th day,but that still leaves us plenty of time to talk. I hope you brought me the picture of you and your mom celebrating your birthday, so sorry I couldn't be there. Your present is with me though which I will give it to you when I see you again.

Percy, being a Cyclops and everything does not make it oblivious that you and Annabeth aren't just friends. You know what I mean, so don't try to hide your feelings. Love is like a weapon,it needs to be put in the flame and hit with the hammer till it is perfect, cooled down in the water to make it perfect. You and Annabeth are like a sword which has been heated and hit with the flames and hammer,but you're afraid to jump in the water. Afraid to take the next step. I see the way she looks at you,the way that she only reserves exclusively for you. You should know what to do brother. Hopefully you will be together with her by the time I come back. Go jump in the water brother! Get wet!

Best of luck my brother, and all the best!

Lots of love, Tyson.

P.S: I upgraded your wristwatch,it now comes with a radar scanning system, which may prove useful in your hardest quest yet. Getting Annabeth's heart."

I smiled to myself after finishing the letter. Tyson was right,it WAS my hardest quest ever. No amount of training would be able to prepare me for it. Inside my head,a conflicting war had begun. One side was called "Tell her" and the other was "Shut up". Right now, I think the team "Shut up" was winning.

I folded the letter back into the envelope and headed to my room to unpack. Placing it on the blue side table, I unzipped my bag and began putting my stuff into the closets. Old memories flooded my mind when I saw battle-torn armor and my wristwatch. Unstrapping it,i wore it on my left hand. I sure hope the radar thingy came in handy.

As I was unpacking,i left some of my toiletries on the floor and accidentally tripped on it and fell backwards against the closet.

"Owwww..."I proclaimed to myself while rubbing my head in circles.

Giggling. I heard giggling, I wasn't alone anymore. That giggle,it sounded familiar. Very familiar.

I stood up and spun to the door,only to find the most gorgeous female standing at the open door. Annabeth had changed a lot,physically I mean. Her curves were emphasized much more, her hair trailing them in curls, her eyes as grey as ever which made me wanna stare at not look away. Her smile...need I say more?

"How's my Seaweed Brain holding up? She said in between giggles,extending her arms for a hug.

I obliged, giving her a hug. "Not quite well I suppose." I replied,my head still hurting from the recent accident.

_My Seaweed Brain._

She smiled back, arms still firmly placed on mine.

"Ooohhhh," She cooed, "Your brain obviously hasn't grown any bigger, but your body has. You look hot Percy."

I failed miserably trying not to blush,which she saw and laughed. I wondered if she even meant what she said.

"You're quite a charmer yourself Wise Girl. You look..."

"Ughh...not you too Percy!I know,the shirt sucks alright?" Annabeth replied defensively. The shirt she was wearing wasn't a shirt,it was a white tank, which looked more than fine to me.

"I didn't have anything to wear!Blah blah blah..." I didn't pay anymore attention to Annabeth's continued blabbering. The only way to shut her up is...

"AS I WAS SAYING ANNABETH.I wanted to say...you look...gorgeous." With a million watt smile and the charm switch flicked on,i made Annabeth blush when she heard that. She looked really cute. Now the side 'Tell her' was winning. Mental battles are freaking me out I swear. No side ever seems to win.

"Umm...thanks... Percy." She smiled as she replied and stared at my eyes.

I just stared back, still holding her in my arms while I remained in hers. She tiptoed on her feet and placed a peck on my cheek before letting me go and walking out of the door.

"I'll see you at lunch Percy. Later, Seaweed Brain." she said as she waltzed out the door and walked to her cabin. I followed her to the porch and stopped to see her go,wondering if she would look back.

She did, and with a smile,before opening her cabin door and headed inside,out of my view anymore.

I had a feeling,that summer would be very different now. Me and Annabeth, no matter how much we tried to deny,deep deep down, I knew we weren't just friends anymore. It was up to me now,if we would still be friends at the end of this summer.

I had proceeded on a quest,yet again.

I took a dip in the river while waiting for the lunch horn to go off. As I swam,i talked to the fishes, dolphins and Blackjack,the hippocampi. He was going strong,even stronger than ever and only finished a little bit behind me when I challenged him to a race.

"How are things going with you and Annabeth master?" Blackjack said through our telepathic bond. Even Blackjack knew something was going on.

"BLEHHHHHHHHHHH!"The lunch horn sounded. I swam up to the surface,still dry and went to the tables in the middle of camp where lunch was being served. I saw Grover on the way and walked with him and the Stoll Brothers to lunch. When I saw Annabeth walk out with some of her siblings, I immediately found myself staring at her.

"Percy. Hello Jackson? Where you lookin at? Hey! Where are you lookin?Ohhhh..." Connor exclaimed after waving a hand in front of me and still failing to get a response. After looking at my direction, he saw Annabeth walking down the steps.

"Wh-what?" I turned to him,after getting a painful punch from Travis. All three of them left,laughing at me and my obsession with the girl from the Athena Cabin.

"See ya later lover-boy." Grover waved as he and the Stoll brothers continued to walk towards the lunch,leaving me walking towards Annabeth at her cabin while she turned around and forgot to lock the cabin doors.

"Hey," I said,hands in my pockets.

"Hey there Seaweed Brain, gimme a moment." Annabeth replied,not looking at me,instead focusing on the lock.

"What is wrong with this thing?I swear I am SO going to change it when I get the Athena Chairman role for this summer term."Annabeth whined,when her key got stuck in the lock and wouldn't budge.

I chuckled myself and proceeded up the steps to lend a helping hand. Grasping the lock with her hand still on it,i tried pulling it the key out and still it wouldn't budge.

Then,out of nowhere, Annabeth started to laugh and giggle hysterically. I, not knowing what she was laughing at, still managed to laugh along. After much tugging,we got the key out. By then, Annabeth and me cooled down and stopped laughing. Her hand was still in mine,but of course with the laughing and everything, I didn't notice it until...

"Percy?"Annabeth said whilst looking at the doorknob.

"Yea?"

"Your..-yo-...your hand...you can let go now." She replied with a blush.

I looked down,and immediately let go. It was an awkward moment,but I knew we were getting somewhere.

With a smile for a mask,i walked down the steps and waited.

"Ready to go?I'm hungry ya know."I told her.

With a smile,she playfully nudged me forward and said,

"Ladies first."

With a giggle,she walked with me to lunch and proceeded to her designated cabin table.

I of course, without Tyson, sat alone again.

Then at the center of the circle of tables, Chiron trotted up to the stand and prepared himself to make an announcement. With a knock on the floor, he gained our attention and began to speak.

"Fellow Campers, welcome,to Camp Half-Blood," Chiron proclaimed in a deep and manly voice. Campers cheered and clapped as they finally realized that this was going to be the best summer of their lives.

"This summer, we have lined up the very best of the best for you campers to enjoy. Training facilities have been improved, leisure activities as well. Blah blah blah...Okay,i shall stop here and leave you to your lunch. By the end of lunch, cabins please choose your Chairman and get them to report to me."

I kept looking at Annabeth as I chewed my food. My table was empty,with me being the only Poseidon camper on camp right now. Couldn't wait for Tyson to get back. Surprisingly,Annabeth was looking at me as well and it somehow seemed that every time I looked at her, she was looking back as well. With a shy smile that she always wore on that beautiful face, she kept on eating and looking at me.

After lunch,i proceeded to training to hack-n-slash some wooden dummies. I looked around for Mrs O-Leary and found her chewing on a metal doll. She looked at me and immediately recognized me as she pounced over and gave me sloppy licks.

I uncapped Riptide and began to slash some dummies. It was usual business. Being drenched in sweat,i took a shower after training and then left to my cabin to change into something casual. I was going to hang out with Annabeth in the woods with Grover and Juniper. Wearing training gear made me look like a fool.

I picked up Annabeth and joked on the way to the forest. We soon found Juniper and Grover talking sweet nothings to each other. I wondered if I would ever be like that.

Juniper exchanged hugs with Annabeth and then me while Annabeth then hugged Grover. That sly goat-man gave me a wink while he hugged Annabeth. I knew something was going on.

When we sat down, Juniper began asking me how I met Annabeth and what a great team we looked. With many laughs and a few blushes here and there,it finally got to the point where Grover asked,

"So Annabeth,if you could choose your teammate for any quest in the world,who would it be?"

I looked at her,eager to find out her answer.

She shot me a glance and looked at the floor embarrassingly,before saying in a bare whisper which I found was still very audible cause I was paying attention.

"Um...i would choose... Percy. Percy Jackson. He's a great teammate,my favorite teammate."

At the end of the sentence,it was very noticeable that she was blushing. I felt good, actually better then ever.

"Aww Annabeth,that's sweet." Juniper exclaimed,smiling like a girl should,while shooting glances at me.

"Well Juniper,i think we have to go somewhere don't we,see you guys later!" Grover exclaimed excitingly while pulling Juniper away before heading somewhere else. I could see where this was going.

I moved closer to Annabeth's figure,still staring at the floor,making little circles with her feet. I gulped,before getting the courage to ask what I've been keeping in for so long.

I remembered Tyson's words in his letter.

"Get wet!"

"D-did you really mean what you said earlier?That I'm..your favorite teammate and everything. Did you mean it?" I whispered softly. I was afraid that she hadn't heard it,but I knew she did.

"Y-yea. I do. Every single part of it. I meant what I said."

I know what I had to do. A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do. I stood up,extended my hand and said," Come,follow me,i wanna show you something."

Annabeth shot a questioningly glance at me before placing her hand in mine. I took her to the jetty near my cabin and on the edge of it,i turned around and looked at her.

"Why did you take me here Percy?I am NOT going for a swim alright."

"Yes you are missy."I replied.

"No I'm not!This is a new shirt!" Annabeth whined. But I wasn't going to accept any of it.

I grabbed her by the waist,while she struggled under my strong control.

"Percy!Perseus Jackson!You put me down right this instance or I promise I will make the rest of your summer miserable!"Annabeth exclaimed loudly while I stood over the edge of the jettty.

I than said," Trust me Annabeth." And I jumped off the jetty.

She was screaming and I could see out of the corner of my eye that she had covered my eyes.

I had placed an air bubble around us,so we were both dry and had air to breathe. I called my dolphin friends to swim around us,so as to give her a surprise.

"Open your eyes,don't worry."I whispered softly in her ear,while I held her hand tightly. She was afraid as her hand squeezed mine tightly.

She opened one eye, than two,and looked around her. She couldn't believe it,that she was breathing and still dry under water. The fishes swimming around us,it was absolutely majestic. All she could mutter was an awestruck "Wow. This..Percy this is.. amazing."

"You ain't see nothing yet." I pulled her closer,and muttered a soft,

"I love you Annabeth."

Oh crap,i said it. Oh dear, what was I thinking?Annabeth stood still in my arms,avoiding eye contact.

Finding absolutely no way to recover from that incident,i hugged her and told her to hold on before swimming up quickly to the surface.

I placed her on the jetty and felt a wave of rejection. Now this kinda of wave, even being Poseidon's son wouldn't help. I let go of Annabeth and hadn't looked at her since I placed her on the jetty. I turned around,not facing her and began to swim away.

Then,i felt it.

Annabeth somehow managed to grasp my hand and pull me back to her. I didn't want to look at her at all,feeling rejection. It hurt.

Not anymore.

Annabeth grabbed my hand,now both hands,and looked me in the eye. I had no choice but to give in an d return eye contact. She smiled, and then her hands cupped my cheek. I was utterly shocked,not knowing what to do. She leaned down and whispered gently,

"You really are a Seaweed Brain. Aren't you going to kiss me?" With a smile,she closed her eyes after finishing the sentence and leaned in even closer. I could feel my heart racing,but I leaned in as well,and closed my eyes and let the magic happen.

The next moment,i felt her lips on mine. She was kissing me!

Annabeth Chase was kissing me! I'm sure we were pass the point of friendship now. Something else had blossomed between us.

We kissed for a pretty long time,before we pulled back.

I propped myself onto the jetty,right beside her, and pulled her close. Stroking her hair,i could see a smile form out of her with her already flushed face. She grabbed my free arm and pulled me closer.

Then she looked me in the eye and said, "I love you too Percy."

I kissed her forehead,and leaned on top of her head,while she rested hers on my shoulder.

Summer this time was going to be different. Way different.

**Whatcha guys think?Sorry for it being so long! To be continued! I got a surprise. REVIEW least 10 guys?PLEASE.**


	2. Chapter 2

**2nd Chapter guys!As I promised,a surprise.**

**Really really big surprise.**

**Review guys!Thanks.**

**And I don't own anything from PJO,unfortunately.**

The lake was spectacular today,actually more than ever when I came. I guess I know why,good things turn better when you share it with someone special right? And the sleeping figure on my shoulder was that 'special someone'. You guessed it, she was Annabeth Chase.

As I looked beyond the lake's horizon as far as my eyes could see while the sun set quietly,casting a radiant golden glow onto the lake,while its warmth spread across our entire figures. Annabeth's hair seemed to glow,her face lit up by the fading sun. She was perfect. And now,she was all mine.

I lifted a gentle figure and let it slide down her cheek,trailing her cheekbones as my index found her chin. Cupping her cheek,i decided to place a gentle kiss upon her lips. Smooth move Percy,smooth move. As I kissed her lips,i felt her kiss back,while a hand pushed my head closer to hers.

Annabeth stirred gently,rousing from her slumber,her grey eyes slowly opening to look into mine. A smile formed on her face when we made contact. Her hand lifted to touch mine,pulling me down for another kiss. It was a slow,lingering one,and our foreheads rested against each other.

"Wakey-wakey sleepyhead." I whispered gently. I hope my breath didn't smell like sea water.

"I'm up Percy. You sure have a good way of waking me up don't you." She replied with a cheeky grin.

If I got to wake her up everyday this way,it would be heaven,absolutely heaven. Life was fantastic.

I carried her up bridal style,before placing her down at the end of the jetty. As I walked forward,i felt her tug at my hand. Knowing what she wanted,i intertwined my fingers with hers. It felt like a jigsaw puzzle piece fitting mine,and the puzzle would be complete. She squeezed my hand gently and occasionally,and all I could do was wonder how the daughter of Athena would fall for the son of her mother's sworn enemy. Love works in funny ways I guess.

I kissed Annabeth before leaving her at the door of the cabin. Dinner would be ready anytime soon,so I decided to go take a bath. It was the first dinner at Camp Half-Blood,so we had a tradition for it to be the most special one. Dinner on the first and last days of camp required you to wear your formal attire,and where everyone could sit around at any table and just take in the atmosphere of our surroundings. The friends,the company,the magical environment. Camp Half-Blood was no doubt my favorite place in the world. If it was supposed to exist on the world that is.

I only wished my brother Tyson would be here alongside with me,i could sure use some company in the Poseidon Cabin. We had not seen each other since Zeus knows how long,so I was really looking forward to spend some time with him.

But he was lucky to be away this time. Things from here got a whole lot worst.

As I looked in the mirror to check my suit,i made sure that Riptide was in my pocket,along with my watch on my wrist. I was lucky to have them with me tonight. I had no idea I was going to use it to protect the people I had grown to love so much.

As I stepped out of the cabin,i could see the campfire light being lit already. I saw Juniper adjusting Grover's bow tie while the Stoll brothers walking down the path towards center of camp. I had to admit,i was right about the Aphrodite girls looking at them while the brothers walked down the pavement,occasionally sending flirty winks to the girls in the Aphrodite Cabin. Suddenly I felt that I wasn't that awesome after all.

As I saw the Athena Cabin's door open,i felt my hands start to sweat. I had to made sure they were dry,so I used some of the advantages of being a son of Poseidon to help my dire situation. The red rose that I was going to give to Annabeth seemed to suddenly feel heavy in my arms. Malcolm came out first and eyed me like a eagle.

"You look quite the charmer Percy,"Malcolm came over and put a reassuring hand on my shoulder before walking away.

"You look good,all the best with my sis!"

I walked up the steps,hoping to find Annabeth,i almost tripped over thin air when I saw her. I couldn't help but stare.

It wasn't everyday that Annabeth wore a dress. A blue dress at that,my favorite color. Her hair was fixed into curls that trailed down her side,her dress stopping at her knees,while she walked confidently on white heels. She was breathtaking. I had seen many beautiful things on my long journey in quests, missions. I even had a chance to see Calypso, but I knew now what was the most beautiful thing on Earth,maybe through out the universe.

Annabeth Chase,my girlfriend, was the most gorgeous being on Earth. I forced a gulp down my throat, trying to regain my composure. I dropped the rose on the floor, nervously trying to pick it up.

Giggling again, Annabeth's giggling. I picked the rose up,and gave it to her.

"Aww,thanks Seaweed Brain. Its beautiful. Where do you think it would fit on my dress?Oh I know!"Annabeth giggled excitedly. She placed the rose in my suit pocket,snug in my suit. She looked at my tie,and adjusted it a bit.

"Your tie Percy,its crooked. Does your mom have to do this for you always?" Annabeth said while her hands worked nimbly on my tie. All I could do was stare at her,i knew it was rude,but I didn't really care anymore now.

"Percy,what are you looking at?Is there something on my face?" Annabeth turned around to face the mirror,her hands still on my tie. I took her hands off,turned her face towards mine,and kissed her lips. I gave her a long kiss. The types that made you want more.

She smiled when we broke the connection. I took her hand,and walked down the steps of the Cabin. I wanted to show the world that Annabeth Chase was not single anymore. She belonged to me. As I clutched her hand tightly,she clung onto my arm,squeezing it gently when we felt ogling eyes set upon us.

Some of the campers looked and smiled,while some stomped in dismay. I saw a dark-haired brunette from the Aphrodite Cabin stomp her feet in protest. I had never seen her before,but I guess I didn't want to anyway. As me and her approached the tables,we decided to sit near Grover and Juniper. Grover smiled in pride when he saw my hand with Annabeth's,while Juniper giggled excitedly. The Stoll Brothers made fun of me,but I knew they only meant well. Malcolm smiled appreciatively when he saw Annabeth with me,and some other campers like Clarisse and Chris nodded knowingly as well. Nico wasn't around,but if he was in camp,it would be safer than anywhere else.

Music was playing through the big speaker behind the stand where Chiron stood. I had no idea what the first song was,but as the second song progressed,i knew somehow that I had heard this before on the radio. What was her name again?Taylor something something. Swift if I wasn't wrong. Anyways there we sat,talking about how awesome this summer would be. I personally mentioned that I was glad everything was over.

What a dumb-ass I am.

For not more than five minutes, Chiron stood on the stand before we heard a loud howl. Argus came running from the back,whispering into Chiron's ear. Something was wrong.

"Campers!We are overrun,grab your weapons and proceed to defensive positons. Dinner is postponed!I want all campers to be on full alert. Do you understand?" Chiron exclaimed.

I turned to look at Annabeth. She wasn't there. She was gone,but how? She was right there! How could it be?How could she have just dissapeared?

"PERCY!HELP ME!"Annabeth's shrill scream shot through me. I felt a chill rock my body. Uncapping Riptide, I ran towards the woods,where the scream came from.

I had to save her.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys sorry I took a week to continue with the story. I have to say that your reviews really played a part in getting my lazy-ass to the computer to type the words.**

**I added some of my own enemies and characters,so there bear no link to the real story. Please take note of this,thanks!**

**Review,and any remarks on how I can improve my stories?You guys deserve only the best!**

**Thanks people!**

I ran.

I ran and ran and ran.

I heard her scream again.

Annabeth...

I was going crazy!My mind started losing control,my body started to tremble,my hands started to shake. Riptide vibrated shakily under my loose grip. I couldn't find her anywhere!It was so dark and there was no source of light at all. I felt as if I was walking in a pitch black hole,going in circles,absolutely heading nowhere.

Then I heard a voice.

"Percy...come..."

I didn't have time to think,but the female voice was my only lead. I followed it,hoping that what I was following would lead me to Annabeth. I would figure out the voice later,but right now I had more important things on my mind.

True enough,the voice did bring me to Annabeth. But a unconscious one at that. She lay with her eyes shut,her body contorted into some sick position,as if she had fallen from battle. Her blue dress was soaked in her blood,her makeup all messy with her hair untied. Her heels lay broken,her knife at her side lay cracked with the tip dripping blood. Whose blood I wasn't sure,but I couldn't care less.

I ran and fell on her side,shaking her as tears streaked down from Zeus knows where. I had never cried before.

My hands were stained with her blood from carrying her out of the forest,and my white tie had turned blood red. As I approached nearer to camp, Clarisse spotted me holding Annabeth in my arms,and immediately called for aid. She ran by my side,asking everyone to move away and step back.

I couldn't stop crying.

As Chiron galloped towards my side,i saw his eyes widen for a brief moment before he shouted.

"Quick,there's no time! Put her on my back! I will give her aid. The rest of the campers,put this camp on lock-down,now!" Grover stood by my side, while a tearing Juniper tried to comfort me. Some of her the campers from the Athena cabin were in tears,and I could hear Malcolm cursing and swearing vulgarities through his gritted teeth. Mr D. proceeded to put the camp on lock-down,and soon a white like shield came out from the four pillars that surrounded the camp. Anything that was here would stay here,no one would escape.

I lay on my knees,still staring at the ground where Annabeth last lay. Her knife was cracked and stained with blood. On its side,it read "Perseus Jackson,her life is on your shoulders"

Concerned faces stood around me, some obviously in shock of the sudden turn of events that night. It was supposed to be the best..and yet..

Grover knelt beside me,placing a hand on my shoulder,words not said. There was merely nothing that could be said right now given the current situation. I knew I wasn't the only one with tears on my face that very moment.

As I looked at my blood stained hands,and at the knife,a sudden rage came inside and consumed me. I had never been this angry before. I grabbed Riptide from my side,my hands clutching it so tight,my eyes seething with anger.

I got up,turned around and went towards the forests. Clarisse came to stop me,but the moment she looked at me,i saw her step back.

Fear.

She began to fear this side of me.

"Percy Jackson! Stop right there! The camp is on lock-down,and no-one and especially you goes anywhere tonight!" Mr D. shouted across from the stand as he put in place precautionary measures. In normal circumstances I would be happy that he remembered my name,but tonight,normal wasn't in my dictionary anymore.

"Aarrghhh!" I shouted as I slashed a gaping hole in the shield. No-one,and I meant NO-ONE had ever broken the shield with one slice of a sword. Not even Chiron had done it before. Somehow I did,but I was hell-bent on getting someone else slashed tonight.

I hacked my way through the forest and no one even dared to stop me.

"Come out you coward!" I shouted,not giving a damn if there was even anyone there. I walked around in the darkness,hoping my enemy would come out.

Well,it did.

I soon saw a figure shape-shift in front of me.

Empousai. The filthy beast!

I charged towards it,hacking and slashing at the air while it easily dodged my attack and ran towards Camp. I followed closely on its tail,running towards it till we came to the middle of camp before it stopped. I slid myself to a halt just a few meters behind it,while campers all around drew their arms.

"Percy,let us help."Clarisse put her hand on my shoulder,offering her aid. I refused by pushing her hand away and she got the message immediately. As I charged towards the beast,she turned into Annabeth. Who knows how,but she did,and I couldn't bring myself to stab her even though she was wide open with her guard down.

"Would you dare to kill me,Percy?Kill me then,i'm waiting." Annabeth(Empousai) spun around and walked towards me. She grabbed my hand and placed the blade of Riptide on her neck.

"Kill me." Annabeth taunted me again. My hands started to shake,and soon,i dropped my sword. As the beast started to crack an evil laugh,she said "I must say,i thought Annabeth deserved better. After all,her current state,was all your fault. I suggest you stay away fro-"

Whack!

In my burning anger,i gave the beast I powerful right hook before tackling her to the ground. I wanted to kill her,even if it meant using my bare hands. I continued my punching flurry, and soon the empousai 's shape-shifting powers reverted her to normal.

As she lay beaten and bruised,almost on the brink of death,i grabbed Riptide from the ground and walked over to her bloodied figure on the ground. As I stood over her,sword in hand,she used one last mind game on me,hoping that it would shake my resilience to kill her and that she would be able to keep her wretched life.

"Would killing me save Annabeth?It was your fault! The target was you!She was just a distraction!"

I knew she was right,but I needed to vent my anger on something.

"Shut. Up."

I plunged the knife deep into the monster's neck, something I had never done before. She struggled for a while,before finally disappearing into the air.

Removing my hands from Riptide which was deep into the ground,i looked around me,campers all staring at what I had just done. I saw something in their eyes which I had never seen before,and hat thing was fear.

They had begun to be fearful of me.

"Percy..."Grover muffled through the harsh silence that had enveloped every one.

I couldn't stay.

Running towards my only sanctuary,i fled to the jetty,not stopping at all. I dived into the river,deep deep down,trying to swim as far away as I could. I was a monster!

I lay on the seabed,with hands in my head,and began to ponder about tonight.

It was supposed to be the best night of my life,with Annabeth and me finally confessing our feelings towards each other,and what better way to spend a night with her?

Yet,she lay injured in the Big House,while I killed an empousai with my bare hands. My fellow campers even grew fearful of my sudden outburst of rage.

Tonight was runied.


	4. Chapter 4

**Here it is guys,please review!Promise this will be a long one.**

Why...

Why did things always have to be this way?For once,i realized that my life was a total mess. So what if I was named the best camper for 2 consecutive summers?So what if I slayed a Titan?So what if I was the son of Poseidon?So what if I was one of the most powerful half-bloods ever?

I still failed to protect the things that matter most.

The people I loved suffered because of me,and me alone.

Atlas must know how I feel,as if all the blame is burdened on my shoulders.

At the same time,anger,regret and fear coursed thoroughly through my veins. I wasn't hurt physically,but they say the deepest wounds are the ones you can't see. Whoever said that must know how I feel right now.

Blackjack swam around me,trying to give me some telepathic reassurance. My fish friends did the same,but what did they know? I needed to be alone.

Giving a half-thankful wave at my fishy friends,i swam out of the lake and dragged my body to my cabin. Sitting down on the bed,i looked across at my desk and saw a photo in a sea-shelled frame,covered in fake seaweed.

It was a photo of Annabeth,blushing while giving me a kiss when I received the trophy for the Best Camper last summer. Though she didn't feel like speaking to me at all after the ceremony,i must say the kiss was worth it. At the side in neat gold colored scribbling was these words "To Seaweed Brain". It was a present from Annabeth,our parting gift.

I removed it from its place on the table and found my thumbs gently graze across the glass surface where Annabeth's face was in the photo. Soon, the tears came falling,and the glass was wet and damp. Annabeth didn't deserve this,she didn't deserve any of this harm! If it weren't for me...she would be okay...the whole Camp would be okay! No one deserved tonight,if not because of me. I was solely to blame for this.

As the silent tears continued,all I could think about was Annabeth's current condition. If something were to happen to her,i could never forgive myself. My heart swelled in pain just thinking of the worst that could happen.

Surprisingly, I woke up the next morning only to have realized I had fallen asleep in the middle of my depression. Rising from my slumber,i remembered that I had to check on Annabeth,and had to be prepared for the worst. I threw off the covers,not caring that my suit was still unchanged and sprinted as fast as I could to the Big House.

Arriving at the medical doors,i banged on the door,not once,not twice,but so many till Chiron had to reprimand me for disturbing the patient's rest. As he ranted about my behavior from the other side of the door,i began to pace about,hoping that the door would open to a healthy Annabeth.

The door creaked slightly open,which made me jump. Chiron poked his head out of the door,and nodded to me before trotting off to fetch some more medical supplies. He left the door open and before he left,he turned to me and said, "She was asking for you the whole time."

I pushed the door,opened it slightly before closing it back,not once looking at Annabeth at all. I couldn't bring myself to look at her. Ashamed and hurt,i felt like nothing. The cuts on my fists were nothing compared to what Annabeth had gone through,just because of me.

"Percy..." She moaned as she got up.

I supported her waist and lifted her gently onto the stacked pillows,fighting hard to resist the urge not to cry and look at her. Imagine me,son of Poseidon,crying in front of Annabeth. What a pus**!

Staring hard at her left hand,i struggled to fight the tears away. Fought and lost badly. Soon enough,they trailed down my cheeks,finding themselves plop onto the bed sheet of Annabeth's bed. What a pu**y you are Jackson.

"Percy..." Annabeth once again whispered again,hoping for me to reply. When I failed to do so,she forced me by lifting her hands to my face,pulling my heads towards her direction,her gray eyes not leaving me at any point of time.

"Percy please...don't be like this..." Annabeth pleaded uselessly for me to stop my self-blame. She knew that I felt too guilty to look at her,and obviously she thought it wasn't my fault,though I was finding it a really hard time to agree. My silent tears didn't stop and soon enough I wasn't the only one crying in the ward.

I took her hands off my face and held them tightly in mine,summoning all the remaining courage I had to look at her in the eye. When I found her gaze, I involuntarily squeezed her hands harder,the words choking up in my throat,as I began to sob.

Sobbing means weeping aloud. My tears didn't get so silent anymore.

"Annabeth...i-i'm so sor-sorry...its all my fault!I'm so sorry!"I choked out the words in between harsh sobs. My hands were shaking now,and I couldn't find myself to look at Annabeth any longer.

"Its not your fault Percy...it wasn't anyone's fault. They just took me by coincidence."

"But on the knife..th-they said it was mine! You wouldn't have gotten hurt if not for me,it shouldn't be like this! I jeopardized you!You should be okay!You should b-be"

A kiss.

Annabeth shut me off with a kiss,and a hard one at that. Her tears stained my cheeks,likewise for mine,but she didn't care. She kissed me,her arms pulling me deeper and deeper,fingers tangled up in my already messy hair.

When we pulled apart,we had calmed down significantly,but the hurt was still evident.

"Percy..please...its not your fault...whatever is on the knife,i couldn't care less. But promise me...you won't go anywhere?I need you with me,and if you blame yourself,it hurts me more than you know,because I feel as if you can't be with me anymore. Stay...please?"

"Annabeth...i-..i can't stay. I'll only be putting you in danger and I can't have that,not at all. You'll be at risk...i-..i have to go."

I did not mean a single thing I said in that sentence,not one bit.

But when I blurted it out, Annabeth's eyes turn to show the emotion of raw hurt and pain. She was heartbroken.

I turned to leave,hoping that she would accept whatever lie I had just said and just forget about me and move on.

Alas,the daughter of Athena once again defied me. I was glad she did.

"NO!I'M NOT LETTING YOU GO ANYWHERE!"Annabeth shouted hoarsely,her hand swiftly grabbing my biceps,holding me back. She wasn't anywhere near as strong as I was in her current condition,but something made me stay.

"Percy PLEASE!I need you here...I love you...is your brain really made out of seaweed that you can't understand what i'm saying? Stay here...stay here with me..please?" Annabeth pleaded as her grip on my hand tightened even further. Her tears were flowing uncontrollably now,her eyes pleading for me to do the right thing.

What was the right thing?

My mind told me that the right thing to do was to leave her alone.

My heart told me that the right thing to do was to stay here,protect her if need be.

I suddenly remembered a quote that was one of my mom's favorites. She hung it up with a frame on the kitchen wall,and you had to look at it because it was placed on the fridge. Time after time,it was etched in my mind. I never knew it would come to so much use one day.

"_Its impossible." Said pride._

"_Its risky."Said experience._

"_Its pointless."Said reason._

_The heart said,_

"_Give it a try."_

Heck it!

I turned around,looked and Annabeth,and wiped the tear marks off her face. I took her in my arms,holding her tight as my hands stroked her long,untied hair.

"I'm not going anywhere Annabeth,i promise."

Planting a reassuring kiss on her forehead,i gave her yet another hug. What was I thinking? Leaving when someone needed me most? Definitely not going to think about that again. As I looked down into her eyes,she lifted herself higher,her lips just inches away from mine. I kissed her again,this time a longer and more gentle one,by the emotion remained the same. Her hands hung around my neck,while I pulled her waist closer to my body. I absolutely loved this woman. Yes,a woman. Annabeth Chase was definitely not a girl in my eyes anymore.

A smile broke onto her face when our lips parted. Another wise crack at the situation perhaps.

"You just had to let me win, didn't you,Seaweed Brain?"

That gorgeous smile never failed to amaze me.

"Well,i figured if I let you win,it would be easier than losing you."

I could not believe I had just said that. Me, Percy Jackson,actually stumping the daughter of Athena,not a easy feat.

Annabeth was stumped,but surprised in a good way. As she lay down on her bed again,wanting to rest,i sat beside her and pulled up the covers. She held my hand by her side,and mumbled " That,was probably the wisest and smartest thing you have ever said. I love you,my Seaweed Brain."

Her eyes closed,i gave her a kiss on her temple,before whispering into her ear, "I love you too, my dear Wise Girl."

I knew she smiled when I said that.


End file.
